-- THE ARCHIVE --

SWAZILAND
Judicial CP - June 2001

The Star, Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 June 2001

Swazi police catch up with 'talking baboons'

Galile, Swaziland -- The reign of terror of the "talking baboons" of Galile has ended.

For almost a year the southern Swaziland community has been living in fear of alleged "talking baboons".

The rampaging "baboons", who sometimes spoke "fluent English" according to victims, have been smashing windows and doors of houses and huts since July last year, forcing families to flee.

Concentrating on the most vulnerable

The baboons even attempted to rape women on several occasions, apparently concentrating on the most vulnerable, those whose husbands were away working on South African mines.

Their reign of terror ended this week when police arrested three young men wearing baboon skins in a home in the area, after setting up an ambush there.

A police spokesperson said: "We arrested three young men following complaints from residents that they were being harassed by baboons. Police are still investigating the matter."

He could not give the ages of the arrested suspects, who could face charges of malicious damage to property.

The baboons used names like "Bottle Juice" and "Jantoni", when they invaded homes at night, demanding sex from women and causing mayhem.

Police had once before set up an ambush in the area, but on that day the baboons did not show up. The saga even reached parliament, where a senator urged police to shoot the baboons on sight. - The Star Foreign Service